Booklife Praises Empathetic Portrait in ‘What She Stole’

What She Stole is an “empathetic portrait of growing up,” Booklife says in its complimentary review of Samantha Kolber’s debut novel. Congratulations!

The review says:

“Kolber’s introspective novel follows struggling teenager Eloise Goldstein after she makes a split-second decision and shoplifts a purse. Stuck in the mall’s makeshift jail cell, Eloise is immersed in her past, recounting various points that might have led to her choice. … Eloise’s story unfolds in glimpses, with each chapter examining instances of trauma or uncertainty. Through these vignettes, Eloise introduces her family: a younger brother, a neglectful mother, and an abusive, bodybuilder father with implied mental illness. Kolber doesn’t shy from the most intimate of topics, writing about Eloise’s burgeoning desire with a mixture of shock and humor that feels believable for a teenage narrator…Readers looking for a thoughtful novel that explores the impact of memories and trauma will resonate with this empathetic portrait of growing up.”

Read the full review here.